End-door construction for railway cars and locking means therefor



y 1930 E. R. SCHULZ 1,760,173

END DOOR CONSTRUCTION FOR RAILWAY CARS AND LOCKING MEANS THEREFOR FiledMay 31, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 121 06%)? Er/wt 5M4; WW5

y 1930- E. R. SCHULZ 1,760,173'

END DOOR CONSTRUCTION FOR RAILWAY CARS AND LOCKING MEANS THEREFOR FiledMay 31, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE ERNEST R. SCHULZ, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS,'ASSIGNOR TO W. H. MINER, INC., OF CHI- CAGO, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATION OF DELAWABE Application filed May 31,

This invention relates to improvements in end door construction forrailway cars and locking means therefor.

In railway car construction, a great many box cars of the automobiletype are provided with end doors which form the end walls of the car,two hinged doors being commonly employed at. the end of the car, whichare locked in closed position by a plurality of locking devices. A wellknown type of arrangement for locking the doors closed includes acombined door operating and looking mechanism mounted on each door,spaced from the vertical inner edge thereof, this mechanism cooperatingwith keepers mounted on the door frame above and below the door, and anadditional locking means on one of the doors mounted closely adjacentthe inner edge of the same and cooperating with so locking keepers. Inother words, three separate and distinct locking means are employed,thereby greatly increasing the cost of construction. It has generallybeen considered necessary to employ the plurality of locking 3) deviceson the theory that the inner meeting edges of the two doors are too weakto permit of the use of a single, unitary locking means at that point.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide a doorconstruction which overcomes the difficulties pointed out and permits ofthe use of a single, unitary locking means for both doors whicheffectively holds the doors closed, thereby greatly simplifying the 55construction and materially reducing the cost of the same.

A more specific object of the invention is to providean end doorconstruction for railway cars, and especially box cars of the automobiletype, including two hinged doors which together form the end wall of thecar when closed, the doors being rigidified along their meetingedges,wherein efficient, unitary locking means of simple design isemployed 3 to hold the doors tightly closed, thereby eliminating the useof the multiple locking means hereinbefore referred to, greatly reducingthe cost of the end door structure and locking means.

A further object of the invention is to pro- 1928. Serial No. 281,727.

vide an end door construction of the character indicated, including twohinged doors which form the end wall of the car, wherein the doors areprovided with interengaging edge sections, which are reinforced torigidify the door structure the reinforcing means in effect formingvertically disposed, heavy Y beam members in the respective doors, whichare interlocked against relative displacement when the doors are inclosed position, and a unitary locking means is provided for lookingsaiddoors in closed relation, the locking means being carried directly byone of said interlocked beam members.

Other and further objects of the invention will more clearly appear fromthe description and claims hereinafter, following.

In the drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is anend elevational view of a railway car of the automobile type,illustrating my improvements in connection therewith, the railway car.truck and associated parts being omitted in this view. Figure 2 is avertical, sectional view,corresponding substantially to the line 22 ofFigure 1. Figures 3 and {I are horizontal, transverse, sectional views,corresponding respectively to the lines 3-3 and 4l-4 of Figure 1. Figure5 is a vertical, transverse,-sectionalview, corresponding substantiallyto the line 55 of :1

Figure 3, showing the operating means for the locking mechanism of myimproved door construction. And Figure 6 is a horizontal, transverse,sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

In said drawings, the body of the car is designated generally by thecharacter 10. The body of the car is provided with the usual end sill11, having the striking casting 12 secured thereto, the striking castingbeing provided with the usual carry iron 13 which is supportedtherefrom. The coupler and associated parts of the car are notillustrated in the drawings. The roof of the car is designated by 14,the same being provided with the usual longitudinally extending runningboard 15. At 'the top, the end of the car is reinforced by atransversely extending, hollow, metal beam 17 which forms the top memberof the door frame. The threshold of the door is-indice-ted by 18 andcomprises the usual heavy wooden beam member extending across the car.The car flooring is of the usual type and is indicated by 19. i

In carrying out my invention, I provice two hinged doors 20 and 21 atthe end of the car, the doors being swingingly supported at theirvertical outer edges by a plurality ofhingemembers 2222 which aresecured to the body of the car. The two doors and 21 of similar design,except ashereinafter pointed out. Themain body portion of each door isof the usual construction, comprising a plurality of members 2323 and anouter heavy sheet metalplate 24. As shown in Figure 4', the'members 23,forming the door 20, terminate-inwardly of the/inner cdgc ot the door.The inner edge of the door is reinforced by a vertically disposed I-beammember which is suitably secured to the plate 24. As herein shown, thesame is rivetec to the plate. The flanges of the I-beam member 25 arearranged in parallel relation to the plane of the door 20 and the outerflange bears directly on the inner side of the plate 24 while the innerflange is in alignmentwith the inner side of the door. By thearrangement described, the inner edge of the door is provided with avertically disposed channel definedby the flange sections of theI-beanrand the central web.

A plurality of heavy blocks 26 are secured J to the I-beam member 25 atspaced intervals,

as clearly shown in Figure 1. The blocks 26 have the opposite sidesthereof tapered toward opposite ends,'so that the blocks will snugly litin the channel provided by the Lbeam member 25. shown, the blocks 26 arerigidly secured in the channel of the l-beam member 25, being held byrivets27 extending throughthe'blocks and the flanges of I-beam. v i

As shown in Figure 4, the door21 also has the members 23 terminatinganappreciable dietancs from the inner vertical-edge of the door. The inneredge of the door 21 is braced by a pair or Lbeam members 28 and 29. The

Lbeam members 28 and are arranged with the flanges thereof parallel tothe plane or" the door 21. As shown, the. flanges of the two I-beams arearranged in alignment and abut'at their inner edges, thereby defining avertical opening in which the door-rocking mechanism is located, ashereinafter more clearly .pointed out. The two I-beam members 28 and 29are rigidly secured to the plate 240i thedoor 21 in any well knownmanner, thesame being herein illustrated as riveted to the plate. Thedoor 21 is also provided with th usual weather and spark seal consistingof a vertically disposed, narrow plate 30, secured to the outer side ofthe door the-same rivet-s being preferably employed to secure this platewhich secure the I-beam members tolthe plate .24. As showmthe two Z-beammembers 28 and 29.

plate 30 overlaps the door 20 when the doors are closed, therebyeffectively sealing the openin between the two doors.

The I-beam member 28 presents a vertical channel at the inner edge ofthe door, which faces the door 20 when the doors are closed. The channelof the door 21 is'defined by the parallel flanges and the web of theI-beam member 28. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the block members 26 areadapted to engage within the channel of the I-beam member 28 when thedoors are in closed relation, so as to interlock the doors and preventoutward movement of the door 20 when the door 21 is in locked position.

The two vertically disposed I-beam mem' bers 28 and 29 are connected bya vertically disposed strip or plate 31 at the back of the door 21, thestrip 31 being secured to the rear flanges of the .T-beam members. Asherein shown, the plate 31 is secured to the flanges or" the I-beammembers 28 and 29 byriveting, although the same may be secured by anyother well known means.

The door-locking mechanism of my improved door construction comprises apair of vertically slidable shafts or bars 32 and 33, cooperating withupper and lower keepers 34 secured to the body 10 of the car. As hereinshown, each keeper 34 comprises a cylindrical body portion having avertically disposed socket 35 which is adapted to receive the'outer endof the corresponding locking bar. Each keeper 34 is provided with a pairof securing lugs 36 by which the same is fixed to the car. The lowerkeeper 34, as most clearly shown in Figures 2 and 6, is secured to the,floor structure of the car by means of "rivets, the threshold 18 beingrecessed to ace commodate the keeper, as shown in Figure 6. Thethreshold 18 is provided with the usual protecting wear plate 37 whichis secured at the outer edge to the upper flange of the end sill 11 ofthe car. As shown, the protecting wear plate 37 extends over the keeper34 and is previded with an opening in alignment with thesocket 35 of thekeeper. The keeper 34, which is disposed at the top of the door opening,is arranged Within the hollow beam 17 and is provided with securing lugssimilar to the lower keeper, by which the same is secured to thehorizontal section of the hollow beam 17. The horizontal section of thebeam is provided with an opening in alignment with the socket 35 of theupper keeper 34.

As clearly illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5, the locking bars 32 and33' are vertically slidable in the opening provided between the As shownin Figure 2, each bar 32 and 33 comprises an outer end. member 38 which"has a reduced iii ing therein which receives the inner end of the barmember, the bar member being secured to the *asting by transverserivets. Each casting 40 has a vertically disposed, upstanding rackmember 41 at one side thereof, the rack members 41 of the two castings40 bein oppositely disposed, as most clearly shown in Figure 5.

The locking bars 32 and 33 are operated by means of a handle lever 42pivotally n ounted on a rotary member 43 which is secured to the outerend of a shaft 44 journaled in the door 21, the opposite ends of theshaft being rotatable in bearing members 45-45 fixed to the outer andinner sides of the door, respectively. As shown, each bearing membercomprises a plate-like section and an inwardly extending, cylindricalsleeve member 46 formed integral therewith, the sleeve member formingthe bearing proper. The bearing members are fixed to the out er andinner sides of the door by securing the plate-like sections by any wellknown means. The shaft 44 carries a pinion 47 which engages with therack members 41 to operate the same.

As will be evident, upon rotation of the shaft 44 in one direction, thecooperating pinion and rack members will effect outward movement of thelocking bars 32 and 33, while, when the shaft 44 is rotated in thereverse direction, the operating means will retract the bars32 and 33.The two locking bars 32 and 33 are properly guided in a verticaldirection by a plurality of guide members 48 disposed within the openingbetween the E-beam members 28 and 29. As shown, each of the guidemembers 48 is in the form of a block fitting between the I-beam membersand secured thereto by cap-screws, as shown in Figure 4, the cap-screwsextending through the vertically disposed connecting web of one of theI-beam members. The guide blocks 48 are provided with aligned guideopenings 49 which properly guide the locking bars in their movement.

As clearly shown in Figure 1, the operating lever 42 is pivotally conncted to the operating member of the shaft 44 in such a manner that thelever will swing about the vertical axis when disposed in the horizontalposition shown.

In order to seal the doors, the door member 20 is provided with theusual bracket 50 having an outstanding lug 51 which engages through anopening adjacent the outer end of the handle and is adapted toaccommodate the usual car seal.

In closing the doors of my improved construction, the door 20 is firstmoved to nearly closed position. The door 21 is then swung inwardlyuntil the projecting portions of the blocks 26 on the door 20 enterwithin the channel at the edge of the door 21. lVhen the outer ends ofthe blocks 26 have been thus engaged within the channel of the door 21,the doors are forced tightly olosed,thereby bringing the blocks26 intothe interlocked relation with the I-beam member 28 of the door 21, asshown in Figure 3.

\Vith the doors in this position, the operating handle 42 is rotated ina direction to project the extremities of the locking bars gaged overthe lug 51 of the bracket 50 and the car seal is applied to the lug inthe usual manner.

When the doors are to be opened, the operating lever 42 is rotated in areverse direction to that hereinbefore described, thereby withdrawingthe ends of the locking bars 32 and 33 from the keepers 34.

It will be evident that when the doors are in the closed position withthe locking bars 32 and 33 engaged with the keepers 34, the bars willrigidly lock the I-beam members 28 and 29 to the car body proper. Itwill be evident that the two heavy I-beam members 28 and 29 form rigidreinforcing means for the I end structure of the door 21 ofexceptionally great strength. Itis further pointed out that the I-beammember 25, which reinforces the inner edge of the door 20, isinterlocked with the I-beam member 28 of the door 21 by means of thesolid locking blocks 26, a heavy rigid connection is provided within thetwo doormembers.

The three I-beam members 25, 28 and 29 together form heavy, Verticallydisposed, column braces for the end of the car formed by the door:- 20and 21, thus providing asubstantially rigid end wall construction Whenthe doors are closed. By the arrangement provided, the single, unitarylocking means, comprising the locking bars 32 and 33 associated with thedoor member 21, is sufficient to lock the parts in fixed relation,preventing outward movement of the doors with respect to the car-body,thus eliminating the plurality of locking means heretofore employed inconnection with car end doors.

While I have herein shown and described what I consider the preferredmanner of carrying out my invention, the same is merely illustrative andI contemplate all changes and modifications which come within the scopeof the claims appended hereto.

1 claim:

1. In a door construction for railway cars,

edge to edge engagement and the channelsdeiining a vertically disposedchamber; of lOClIIIL means mounted in said chamberand cooperating withkeeper means mounted on tae car body for locking the door in closedrelation. r

2. In an end. door construction for railway cars, the combination with apair of hinged doors extending transversely across one end of the carwhen closed, to form an end wall member; of means for reinforcing theinner vertical edges of said doors; means carried by the reinforcingmeans of one or the doors interengaging and interlocking with thereinforcing; means of the other door, said last named door having acombined stop and sealin strip at the outer side along the inner edgeoverlapping the enter face of the cooperating door; a locking devicemounted on one of the'doors; and fixed keepers on the car bodycooperating with said locking device, to lock the doors in closedrelation and hold the same against movement with: respect to the carbody. 7

In an end'door construction for railway cars, the combination witha'pair of doors hinged to the car body and extending-transversely acrossthe end of the car when closed, to form anend wall; o1 beam membersreinforcing the vertical inner edges of said doors, each of said beammembers presenting a vertical channel along the inner edge of thecorresponding door; a combined stop and sealing strip fixed to the edgeof one door and adapted to overlap and engage the edge of the nth door;locking means liXedin the channel oi said last named doorand adapted toenter the channel of thercooperating door to interlock said doors whenclosed; locking mechanism supported by the beam members of one ct saiddoors; and keepers fixed to the car body, said keepers being engaged bythe lo ki g mechanism upon operation of the letter when the doors are inclosed position, to effectively lock the doors against increment withrespect to the car body.

4:. In an end door construction for railway cars, the combination with apair 0t doors hinged to the car body at one end thereof,

said doors extending transversely across the car at one end thereoi'when closed and form ing the car end wall; oi vertically disposed I-beammembers reinforcingthe vertical inner edges of said doors, each Lbeammember having the flanges thereof disposed parallel to the plane of thedoor on which said beam is mounted, thereby providing open channels atthe inner edges of the doors, the channel of the Lbeam member of one ofthe doors having block fixed therein and protrudlng beyond the edge 01":the door and engageable with the channel of the I-beam member of thether door, to interlock said doors when cl sed; locking means carried bythe I-beam me 1ber of one of the doors; and keepers fixed to the carbody, cooperating with said locking means when the doors are in closedrelation, to lock said doors to the car body against swinging movement.

5. In an end door construction for railway cars, the combination'with apair of doors hinged to the car body, at one end thereof, said doorsextending transversely of the car at said end when closed and formingthe car end wall; of an I-beanimember reinforcing the vertical inneredge of one of said-doors; of a pair of adjacent E-beam membersreinforcing the inner edge of the other door, the Z-beam members o1"-said doors having the flanges thereof disposed parallel to the plane ofthe door carrying the same; means carried by the I-beam member of one ofthe doors engaging between the flanges of the outermost i-beam member ofthe other door, said adjacent I-beam members havingdoor-lockmeansmounted therebetween; and keepers on the car body aboveand below said door, said keepers being interengaged with said lockingmeans to hold said doors against movement with respect to the car body.

in witness that I claimzthe foregoing I have herenntosnbscribed my namethis 28th day of May, 1928.

ERNEST R. SCHULZ.

